UPDATE 2-Soccer-Milan lose again with two players sent off

September 23, 2012|Reuters

* Milan have Boateng and Zapata dismissed

* Di Natale seals Udinese win

* Inter beaten at home by Siena (Adds details)

MILAN, Sept 23 (Reuters) - AC Milan's season slumped to a new low on Sunday as they had two players sent off and lost 2-1 at Udinese while the bizarre postponement of the Cagliari-AS Roma match further damaged Serie A's fading credibility.

Roberto Di Natale scored the winner for Udinese with a 68th minute penalty, while the visitors had Cristian Zapata and second-half substitute Kevin-Prince Boateng dismissed in their third defeat in four Serie A games.

Inter Milan also went down to a shock defeat, beaten 2-0 at home by lowly Siena with Simone Vergassalo and Francesco Valiani scoring in the last 15 minutes.

Neither Milan nor Inter have won a game at San Siro this season in any competition in eight attempts between them.

Napoli lost their 100 percent record in a goalless draw at Catania and Sampdoria were held 1-1 at home by Torino.

Palermo's latest coach Gian Piero Gasperini got off to a losing start as his side lost 1-0 at Atalanta and promoted Pescara picked up their first point with a 1-1 draw at Bologna.

The action took place against the backdrop of the farcical events in Sardinia where the Cagliari city government called off the Roma match after the home club defied its previous decision to stage the game behind closed doors.

On Saturday, Cagliari slammed "bureaucratic difficulties and the collective disinterest of the authorities" and invited fans to attend the game.

Cagliari have moved to the Is Arenas on the outskirts of the Sardinian capital but the local authorities ruled earlier this week that the stadium was not ready to host Serie A games despite recent improvements.

Milan were facing opponents who, like themselves, are struggling to rebuild after selling their top players during the close season.

Udinese, who had not previously won a game this season in any competition, went ahead five-minutes before the break when Swedish striker Mathias Ranegia scored from close range following a free kick.

Boateng, rested from the starting line-up, came on in the 52nd minute and had an immediate impact as he was involved a move which ended with Stephan El Shaaraway rifling the equaliser from 30 metres.

Milan, who channeled too much energy into arguing with the referee and wrangling with their opponents, failed to build on that and fell behind again in the 68th minute.

Zapata tripped Ranegia, picking up his second yellow card in three minutes, and 35-year-old Di Natale converted from the spot.

Milan's hopes of fighting back ended when Boateng was booked for fouls on Giampiero Pinzi and Roberto Pereyra and was also dismissed in the 83rd minute, the low point in yet another inept display by the visitors.

Siena, who began with a six-point deduction for their part in the Calcioscommesse match-fixing scandal, moved up to minus one points after their first win of the season.

Inter, who have six points after winning their two away games, dominated the game only to be beaten by two late counter-attacks.

Gasperini's hopes of lasting longer than his predecessors at Palermo were dented when Cristian Raimondi's 88th minute goal sent them to a 1-0 defeat at Atalanta, leaving the Sicilians with one point.

Gasperini replaced Giuseppe Sannino, fired after only three games by Palermo's volatile president Maurizio Zamparini, who has employed an average of two coaches a season at the club over the last decade. (Writing by Brian Homewood in Berne; Editing by John Mehaffey and Justin Palmer)